Oblong can body flanging machine



'7 Sheets-Sheet 1 fvrlvaa 4n @MEW P E PEARSCN El' AL O-BLONG CAN BODY FLANGING MACHINE Flled May 10, 1941 Sept. 14, 1943 Sept. 14, 1943. P. E. PEARsoN ETAL OBLONG CAN BODY FLANGING MACHINE l Filed May 10, 1941 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 )72m MVM m. ww V @o o u L 0 o Wm, O ,Q mu @a NN. .wk Wmv 6 www SN MN QN Sept. 14, 1943. P. E. PEARsoN ETAL 2,329,291

oBLoNG CAN BODY FLANGING MACHINE Fiied may 1o, 1941 7 sheets-sheet :s

Marani@ Sept. 14, 1943. P. E. PEARsoN ETAL OBLONG CAN BODY FLANGING MACHINE Filed May l0, 1941 'T Sheets-Sheet 4 I l I l l l ,IWI/say TaRd Sept. 14, 1943. P. E. PEARsoN ETAL OBLONG CAN BODY FLANGING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May l0, 1941 all; #rra/ave vs Sept. 14, 1943. P. E. PEARsoN ETAI. 2,329,291

OBLONG CAN BODY FLANGING MACHINE Filed May 1o, 1941 7 sheets-sheet e fi/a/E/VTOPS MW r #Trap/Sys SePt- 14, 1943. P, E. PEARsoN ETAL 2,329,291

OBLONG CAN BODY FLANGING MACHINE Filed May 10, 1941 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 'Illl y Ivrea/rams l i Patented Sept. A14, 1943 y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OBLONG CAN BODY FLANGING MACHINE Application May 10, 1941, Serial No. 392,970

Claims.

The invention relates generally to machinery employed in manufacturing metallic receptacles and primarily seeks to provide a novel machine structure for properly and eillciently ilanging the open ends of can bodies of the oblong or sometimes called square type which include straight sides, or sides and ends, joined by rounded corners.

Can bodies of the type referred to are ilanged at their open ends to provide outwardly extended flanges which are ultimately rolled into the seam structures by which end closures are attached in the completion and sealing of the cans or containers. Much diiculty has been experienced in flanging can bodies of the oblong or square type because with known machine equipments it has been impossible to provide flanges properly uniform at the corners, and the can bodies flanged in these machine equipments have been bulged at the sides, or the sides and ends. It is a purpose of the present invention to provide an improved flanging machine structure in which these objectionable features are avoided.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character stated in which the can bodies being flanged are held in the pockets of a continuously rotating turret and have both ends thereof flanged simultaneously by opposed, reciprocable flanging heads.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine structure of the character stated in which the ilanging heads each comprises a flanging die receivable in an end of a can body and shaped to properly turn the flange outwardly as it is forced into said can end, and side steels o r bar elements for opposing can body side or end portions between rounded corners thereof for assisting in the flange forming operation and preventing bulging of said side ,/or end portions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine structure of the character stated in which the side steels or bar elements of each ilanging head are movable relative to the die so as to be movable into and out of cooperative relation to said die to cooperate therewith during the turning of the flange and to clear the formed flange when the die is withdrawn after a flanging operation, and in which there are included novel cam controlled means for causing the die and steels or bar elements to move together and relatively for the purposes stated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character stated in which the flanging heads are readily removable and replaceable as pre-assembled units thereby to greatly facilitate changing over of the machine for the flanging of varied sizes of can bodies.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character stated in which the turret pockets are defined at can corners by rounded corner ilange form extensions spaced to receive side steels therebetween and effective to hold the flanged can bodies in place in the turret pockets as the flanging dies are retracted.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character stated including a, continuously rotated, pocketed ilanging turret, a continuously rotated feed inturret for delivering can bodies one by one into the flanging turret, a feed in chute, and feed in timing finger actuated by the rotating feed in turret and alternately yengageable in and retractable from the open can bodies for controlling delivery of can bodies from the chute to the feed in turret.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more'fully understood by following the detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a flanging machine embodying the invention, parts being broken away and shown in central vertical longitudinal section,

Figure 2 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 2-2 on Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail View illustrating the main or ilanging turret shaft and the rotors, cams and iianging turret mounted thereon, parts being broken away and shown in longitudinal section.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinalsectional view of one of the plungers and a fragment of the associated actuator cam.

Figure 5 is an enlarged face view of one of the replaceably mounted die heads.

Figure 6 is a detail vertical cross section taken on the line 6 6 on Figure 5.

. Figure 'I is an enlarged face view of one of the sectional, selectively mountable flanging turretl plates, a plate set up for holding large dimension can bodies to be flanged being illustrated.

Figure 8 is a horizontal section taken on the line 8 8 on Figure 7. y

Figure 9 is a. fragmentary sectional view taken through portions of a pair of turret plates, can body fragments being illustrated as engaged by said edge portions Aand the section being tak on the line 9-9 on Figure 7. v

Figure l is a fragmentary horizontalV sectional view taken on the line Iii- I0 on Figure 1.

Figure 1'1 is a side elevation illustrating the feed-in turret, parts being broken away and rise from the respective ends of the base and are secured upon said base as at 9. The standards are held in rigid spaced relation at their upper ends by a tie rod I 0.

The standard 1 includes a gear housing portion II and provides rotary bearing, as at I2, for a` main for flanging turret shaft I3, said shaft also having rotary bearing in a sleeve I4 longitudinally slidable, or spline-mounted, in a receiving hub formed in the standard 8. See Figures 1, 3 and of the drawings.

`The sleeve I4 is externally threaded and is threadedly engaged by a hand wheel I 5 held captive, seat I6, on the standard 8, the sleeve I4 is equipped with afiange I1 which is adjustably secured by slot and screw equipments I8 with a cam member I9 stationarily surrounding the shaft I3. The cam is equipped with a plunger and die head advancing and retracting groove 20, and with a side steel member actuatorod reciprocating groove 2I, the purposes of which will later becomeapparent. A similar cam 22 is stationarily secured, as at 23, at the other end of the shaft I3 upon the bearing sleeve I2, and this cam also includes a plunger and die head advancing and retracting groove 24, and a side steel member actuator rod reciprocating groove 25. See Figures l and 3 of the drawings.

Two rotors 26 are provided and surround the shaft I3 in longitudinally spaced relation in the manner illustrated in Figure 1. These rotors are spline-mounted, as at 21, on the shaft I3, and it will be observed that the one thereof which appears at the right in Figure 1 is in endwise abutment with the sleeve bearing I2. Each rotor includes an outwardly extending web structure 28 which supports four equidistantly spaced sleeve bearings 29 each equipped with a key member 30 in the manner best illustrated in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings. The rotors 26 also include hub portions 3| which extend toward each other and are equipped with anges 21 to which are secured turret disks 32, said disks being longitudinally spaced in the manner illustrated in Figure lof the drawings and formed in separable sections in the manner illustrated in Figures '7, 8 and 9 of the drawings so that disks can be selectively mounted on the rotor hubs, or removed therefrom, without disrupting the assembled relation of other parts of the machine. Each disk 32 includes four peripheral pockets 33 defined at cornersby arcuately shaped, longitudinally extended lugs or extension portions 34 which are adapted to engage and support the rounded corners of can bodies to be flanged. These extensions 34 are rounded, as at 35. to conform to the curvature of the can body corners. See Figure '7.

The shaft I3 carries a large bevel gear 36 and also a spur gear 31. Rotation is imparted to the bevel gear by a small bevel pinion 38 secured upon a shaft 39 rotatably mounted, as at 40, in the gear housing I I and equipped without said housing with a handwheel 4I through the medium of which the machine parts can be turned over by hand. The shaft 39 is also equipped with a spur gear 42 to which rotation is imparted by a small pinion 43 secured upon a shaft 44 rotatably mounted, as at 45, on the housing I I and equipped with a freely rotatable large sprocket 46.

Rotation is imparted to the large sprocket 46 through sprocket and chain connections 41 from the motor 48 which is secured, as at 49, upon the machine framing. A shiftable clutch equipment 50 is provided and is manually operated to clutch the driver sprocket 46 with the shaft 44 whenever it is intended that the machine parts shall be power driven.

The spur gear 31 secured upon the main or ilanging turret shaft I3 meshes with an idler gear 5I mounted within the housing I I and which meshes with anotherl idler gear 52 which in turn meshes with a yspur gear 53 secured upon the feed-in turret shaft 54 having rotative bearing, as at 55, in the housing standard 1 and in bearings 55 provided in the intermediate standards 51 secured, as at 58, upon the base. See Figures l, 2, 10 and 1l of the drawings. It will be observed by reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings that the intermediate standards 51 surround the rotors ,26 and the shaft I3.

Two rotors 59 are disposed in longitudinally spaced relation upon the feed-ln turret shaft 54, being spline-mounted thereon, as at 60, and the rotors support two spaced turret disks 6I which are secured, as at 62, on the rotors 59. Each disk 6I is provided with four equidistantly spaced can body engaging and feeding fingers 63, and the feed-in turret structure is driven in timed relation with the hanging turret so that the fingers 63 deliver can bodies one by one into the receiving pocket 33 of the anging turret.

Each rotor 59 ofA the feed-in turret` also carries a cam ring 64, the latter being secured thereon, as at 65, and equipped with four equidistantly spaced cam hubs or extensions 66, one such hub being associated with each of the fingers 63 and being'removably secured, as at S1, to the respective rotor 59. See Figure 11.

The intermediate standards 51 are spanned by tie rods 68 and have side extensions 69 which support or are connected by two tie rods 10 disposed in the same horizontal plane in the manner best illustrated in Figures l, 2 and 11 of the drawings. The tie rods10 support feed-in chute structure frame pieces 1I which include upwardly and laterally extended parallel spaced portions 12, and the pieces 1I and their extensions are provided with can body guiding ways 13 which guide the infeeding 'can bodies 14 to the receiving pockets 33 of the ilanging turret as said bodies are being moved along by the feed-in fingers 63.

Can bodies 14 feeding toward the machine by gravity through the gravity chute or ways 15 are intercepted by side detents 16 which project inwardly through apertures 11 provided in the frame piece extensions 12 and engage in the lowermost can body in said chute in the manner illustrated in Figures 2 and l1 of the drawings. The oppositely disposed detents 16 are carried on arms 18 pivoted at their lower ends, as at 19, on the frame piece extensions 12. 'I'he pivoted arms 18 are normallyurged by spring equipments 86 in a direction for projecting the detents 16 into can bodyintercepting relation in the chute structure, the inwardly projected positions of the detents being determined by adjustable stop equipments 8|.

Each arm 18 is provided with a. lateral extension 82 whichcarries a roller 83 engageable by the cam elements 86 of the associated rotor 58. It will be understood that the cam elements 86 are so related to the adjacent feed-in fingers 83 that each time one of these cam elements engages the respective arm roller 83, itwill force the arm 18 outwardly against the action of the respective spring 88. thereby displacing the detents 18 and permitting one can body to fall in advance of one of the traveling fingers 83r in the manner illustrated in Figure 2. After thus releasing the lowermost can body, the detents immediately snap back into the next succeeding can body and serve to'support it and the remaining can bodies in the chute until another single can body releasing action is `effected by the next approaching cam element 88.

The tie rods 88 spanning the intermediate standards 51 serve to support a confining 'track 84 which confines can bodies traveling about in the pockets 33 of the fianging turret and merges with or delivers onto a discharge track 85 adv justably supported, as at 88, on the base 5; The

ange both ends of a can body comprises two opposed hollow plun'gers 88 which are reciprocable in axially aligned bearing sleeves 28 of the longitudinally spaced rotors in the manner best illustratedI in Figure 1 of the drawings. Each plunger 88 includes a centering boss extension 88 at one end and is equipped with a keyway 8| for receiving the key 38 mounted in the respective bearing sleeve to thereby prevent rotational movement of ther plunger within said bearing. Each plunger carries a fianging head supporting plate 82 at the end thereof equipped with the centering boss and includes a reduced end extension 83 at its opposite end which is equipped with a roller 84 engaged in the adjacent cam groove 28 or 24. Each reduced extension also includes an opening 85 into which extends one end of a rod 88 which is reciprocable in bearings 81 provided therefor in the respective plunger 88. Each rod 88 is equipped with a coniform cam nose 88 projectible through the center boss 88, and is provided at its opposite end with an externally threaded portion on which is adjustably mounted an actuator roller 88 movable in the opening 85 and engaged in th'e adjacentv cam groove 2| or 25 hereinbefore referred to. See Figures 1, 3 and 4 of the drawings.

To each of the plunger plates 82 a iianger head oldie equipment is removably attached so that this equipment can be adjusted and properly set up without the machine and on a suitable work bench, thereby to adapt the machine for working on different can sizes and to permit adjustments of this equipment while removed from the machine. Each such equipment includes a body |88 removably secured to the plate, as at |8|, and centered on the respective centering boss 88. This boss includes an opening |82 for receiving the respective rod cam portion 88, and this body carries a die block |83 which is removably secured thereto, as at |84, and is equipped with a tapered lead nose |85; rounded at its corners, as at |88, and this block also includesk a flanging surface |81 also rounded at its corners, as at |88, to conform to the curvature oi the can body corners.

is to be understood that when square 'cans are being flanged the supporting members will be of equal length and all can be termed side members. When the equipment is set up for oblong cans in the manner illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, they longer supporting members may be termed side supports and the shorter members may be termed'end supports. Each of the longer supporting members is clamped, as at |2, to the respective shaft ||8, and each of the shorter supporting members ||3 is clamped, as at ||4, to the respective shaft H8. All of the members III, 3 have side or side and end steels ||5 removably secured thereon as at H8.

It will be observed by reference toFigures 5 and 6 of the drawings that the steels I|5 oppose the sides or the sides and ends of the can bodies intermediately of the rounded corners thereof.

These steels aid in the fianging operation in that the flanging is accomplished between them and the die block |83, but these'steels are always spaced from the respective die block a distance very slightly in excess of the thickness of the can body metal, or say .004", as indicated at so that the steels merely support the can body sides and ends against bulging and aid in the flanging operation without clamping can body end portions.

The supporting members I3 are normally swung outwardly about their pivotal mountings 8 by spring plungers H8, outward movement of these plungers being limited by stop pins ||8 in the manner illustrated in Figure 6. Each of the swingably mounted supporting members ||3 carries an adjustable tappet |28 which is engaged by an actuator pin |2| reciprocably mounted in the body |88 in the manner illustrated in Figure 6. The pins |2| project into the body opening |82 and are engageable by the rod cam nose portion 88 when the rod 88 lis advanced in the manner illustrated in Figure 6 to be forced outwardly thereby and cause the steel members ||5 to move into the flanging position t illustrated in Figures 5 and 6.

A flanged can body stripper member |22 is supported on the rods 'I8 between the turret plates 0r disks 32 and serves to strip flanged can bodies from the turret pockets and guide them onto the discharge track 85 hereinbefore referred to.

In describing the operation of the machine, it will be assumed, of course, that the clutch equipment 58 is engaged so as to'impart rotation to the main or flanging turret shaft i3 and the feedin turret shaft 54. As the feed-in turret 8|, 83 rotates, the cam elements 86 will successively and momentarily displace the detente 18 and permitv the can bodies 14 to fall one by one from the chute 15 into position for being engaged by the successively presented feed-in turret fingers 83, in the manner illustrated in Figure 2, and moved thereby into the ilanging turret pockets 33.

As the fianging turret rotates, the opposed dies |85, |88 of a flanging unit engage in the opposite ends of a can body 14, the-longitudinal movement being imparted to the plunger 88 of said units by the cam tracks 28, 24. After the dies |85, |88

enter the ends of the can body, the steel members ||5 are brought to the effective fianging and can body side wa-ll supporting position, as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, by outward projection of the pins |2| effected by longitudinal movement of the rod96. As has been previously described,

this longitudinal movement is imparted to the rods 93 by the cam tracks 2 25. As the flanging turret continues to revolve, the die heads continue to enter and turn the flange at the ends ofthe can body, the opposed flange turning and lsupporting surfaces |01, of the die block |03 and the steels ||5 being spaced apart just far enough to closely oppose the opposite faces of the edge metal at the can body ends without clamping the same. No supporting steels are necessary at the corners of the can body since the fianging dies are so constructed that they properly turn the corner flanges without the assistance of such equipment. By thus forming the flanges at the ends of the can bodies, the desired uniformity of the flanges is obtained at the corners and. bulging of the can body sides, or sides and ends, intermediately of said corners is avoided. It is to be understood that as the shaft |3 rotates, the rotors 26, the plungers 89, and the flan'ging head removably carried thereby, as well as the turret plates 32, turn in unison.

After the fianging of'a can has been thus completed by the single unit referred to, the cam tracks 2|, 25 flrst act to retract the rods 96 and permit the spring plungers I8 to swing the steels ||5 outwardly to clear the formed flange, after which the cam tracks 20, 24 withdraw the die blocks |03 from the flanged ends of the can. When this has been accomplished, the flanged can will fall out of the turret pocket or be stripped therefrom by the stripper member |22 and deposited onto the discharge member 85. See Figure 2.

The cam structures I9 and 22, however, remain stationary and the cam tracks 20, 24 and 2|, 25 impart the desired reciprocation to the plunger 89 and the actuator rods 96 carried thereby for projecting andretracting the die heads and for moving the steels inwardly and outwardly in the manner hereinbefore described.

By turning the handwheel |5, the rotor 26, the cam units I9, and the sleeve I4 will be moved in one direction or the other along the shaft I3, according to the direction of rotation of the wheel I5, to vary the spacing between the turret disks or plates 32 and the opposed flanging heads.

By selective replacement of the sectional disks 32, and of the flanging heads shown in detail in Figures 5 and 6, the machine can readily and quickly be adapted for flanging can bodies of various lengths and sizes.

It is of course to be understood that the details of structure and arrangement of parts may be l variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

We claim:

l. In a machine for flanging square or oblong can bodies having rounded corners, means for holding a can body, means movable into closely opposed non-clamping relationto the straight side portions of a can body intermediately of the rounded corners thereof for supporting said side portions against bulging outwardly and movable out of said opposed relation to said side portions for clearing the formed flange, and a flanging die movable axially of and in said can body end for outwardy flanging the same While said side portion engaging means are in said closely opposed non-clamping relation to said side portions.

2. In a machine .for flanging square or oblong can bodies having rounded corners, means for holding a can body, means movable into closely opposed non-clamping relation to the straight side portions of a can body intermediately of the rounded cornersl thereof for supporting saiclv side portions against bulging outwardly and movable out of said opposed relation to said side portions for clearing the formed flange, a flanging die movable axially of and ln said can vbody end for outwardly fianging the same while said side portion engaging means are in said closely opposed non-clamping relation to said side porholding a can body, means movable into closely opposed non-clamping relation to the straight side portions of a can body intermediately of the rounded corners thereof for` supporting said side portions against bulging and movable out of said opposed relation to said side portions for clearing the formed flange, a flanging die movable in said can body end for fianging the same while said side portion engaging means are in said closely opposed non-clamping relation to said side portions, and means for moving said side portion opposing means and said flanging die in timed relation so that the die first enters the can body end followed by movement of the side portion opposing means into side portion opposing position and then both the die and the side portion opposing means move together in the direction of the length of the can body with the can body end between them to complete the flanging operation, said side portion opposing means being swingably mounted on said die for movement toward and from the can body end therewith and for swinging movements thereon toward and from said die for opposing and receding from said can body end. y

4. In a machine forflanging square or oblong can bodies having rounded corners, means for holding a can body, means movable into closely opposed non-clamping relation to the straight side portions o1' a can body intermediately of the rounded corners at each end thereof for supporting said side portions against bulging outwardly and movable out of said opposed nonclamping relation to said side portions for'clearing the formed flange, a fianging die movabley axially of and in each said can body end for outwardly flanging the same while said side portion engaging means are in said closely opposed relation to said side portions, and means for moving the side vportion opposing means and the dies in timed relation so that said side portion opposing means first move into side portion opposing position and then the dies move simulj taneously inwardly in the opposite ends of the.

can body to flange the same while said side portion opposing means vare in side portion opposing position.

5. In a machine for flanging square or oblong can bodies having rounded corners, means for holding a can body, means movable into closely opposed non-clamping relation to the straight side portions of a can body intermediately of the rounded corners at each end thereof for supiv porting said side portions against bulging outwardly and movable out of said opposed nonclamping relation to said side portions for clearing the formed nange, a flanging die movable axially of and in each said can body end for out wardly anging the same while said side portion engaging means are in said closely opposed relation opposing means move together-in the direc.

tion or the length ofthe can body with the can body ends between them to simultaneously .complete the ilanging of both can body ends.

6. In a machine for fianging square or oblong -can bodies having rounded corners, a continu--- ously rotated turret for holding can bodies, means movableinto closely opposed non-clamping relation vto the straight side portions of a can body intermediately of the rounded corners thereof for supporting said side portions against bulging outwardly and movable out of said opposed non-clamping relation to said side portions for clearing the formed'iiange, a ilanging die movable axially of and in said can body end for outwardly ilanging the same while said lside portion engaging means are in said closely opposed relation to said side portions, continuously rotating means supporting said side portion opposing means and said die, means for feeding can bodies to said turret, and means for delivering flanged can bodies from said turret.

7. In a machine for flanging square or oblong can bodies having rounded corners, a continuously rotated turret for holding can bodies, means movable into closely opposed non-clamping relation to the straight side portions Aof a can body intermediately of the rounded corners thereof for supporting said side portions against bulging and movable out of said opposed nonclamping relation to said side portions for clearing the formed flange, a ilanging die movable in said can body end for anging the same while said side portion engaging means are in said closely opposed relation to said side portions, continuously rotating means supporting. said side portion opposing means and said die, means for feeding can bodies to said turret, and means for delivering flanged can bodies from said turret, said turret including can' body flange engaging means eiective upon withdrawal of said die to hold the flanged can body against movement of withdrawal with said die.

8. In a machine for fianging square or oblong can bodies having rounded corners, means for holding a can body, means movable into closely opposed relation to the straight side portions of a can bodyv intermediately of the rounded corners at each end thereof for supporting said side portions against bulging and movable out of said opposed relation to said side portions for clearing the formed flange, a flanging die movable in each said can body end for ilanging the same` while said side portion engaging means are 4in said closely opposed relation to said side portions, means for moving said side portion opposing means and said flanging die in timed relation so that the dies first simultaneously enter the respective ends of the can body fol-l lowed by movement of the side portion opposing means into side portion opposing position and then both dies and the side portion opposing means move together in the direction of the length ofthe can body with the can body ends between them to simultaneously complete the ilanging of both can body ends, said can body holding means comprising a continuously rotated turret, means rotating continuously with said turret and supporting saidside portion oppos- `ing means and said dies, each said side porholding turret having a pocket for receiving a can body and longitudinal arcuate extensions engageable closely-exteriorly at rounded corners l only of a can body, a plunger reciprocable relative to said pocket, a die carried by said plunger to be alternately forced into and withdrawn from an end of a can body in said pocket, side steel members reciprocable with said die and mo'vable -inwardly and outwardly relative thereto for alternately closely opposing a. can body end intermediately of said turret extensions during fianging of the can body end and then clearing the formed lflange, means for reciprocating said plunger, and means for imparting alternate inward and outward movements to said side steel members.

l0. In a machine forllanging square'or oblong can bodies having rounded corners, a can body holdingv turret having a pocket for receiving a can body kand longitudinal arcuate extensions engageable closely-exteriorly at rounded corners only of a can body, a plunger reciprocable relative to said pocket, a die carried by said plunger to be alternately forced into and withdrawn from an end of a can body in said pocket, side steel members reciprocable with said die and ,movable inwardly and outwardly relative thereto for alternately closely opposing a can body end intermediately of said turret extensions during anging of the can body end and then clearing the formed flange, and a single cam means for effecting reciprocation of said plunger and for imparting alternate inward and outward moveiments Ato said steel members.

11. In a machine for ilanging square or oblong can bodies having rounded corners, a can body holding turret having a pocket for receiving a can body and longitudinal arcuate extensions engageable -closely-exteriorly at rounded corners only of a can body,`a plunger reciprocable relative to said pocket, a die carried by said plunger to be alternately forced into and withdrawn from an end of a can body in said pocket, side steel members reciprocable with said die and swingably mounted thereon for movement inwardly and outwardly relative thereto for alternately closely opposing a can body end intermediately of said turret extensions during iianging of the can body end and then clearing the formed flange, means for reciprocating said plunger, and means including an actuator rod supported by the plunger and reciprocable relative thereto for imparting alternate inward` and outward movements to said opposing a can body end intermediately of said turret extensions during flanging of the can body end and then clearing the formed flange, spring means constantly tending to swing said side steel members to move inwardly, a rod supported by the plunger and movable longitudinally relative thereto to engage and move said pins outwardly, and a single cam means for moving said plunger and rod and so laid out as to first move the plunger to place the die in the end of a can body then move the rod to effect a swinging of theside steel members into can body end opposing position and then movethe plunger additionally to cause the die and can body end opposing side steel members to move in unison in the direction of the length of the can body to complete the flanging thereof.

13. In a machine for Hanging square or oblong can bodies having rounded corners, a can body holding turret having a pocket for receiving a can body and longitudinal arcuate extensions engageable closely-exteriorly at rounded corners only of a can body, a plunger reciprocable relative to said pocket, a die carried by said plunger to be alternately forced into and withdrawn from an end of a can body in said pocket, side steel members reciprocable with said die and swingably mounted thereon for movement inwardly and outwardly relative thereto for alternately closely opposing a can body end intermediately of said turret extensions during ilanging of the can body end and then clearing the formed flange, spring means constantly tending to swing said side steel members to move inwardly, a rod supported by the plunger and movable longitudinally relative thereto to engage and move said pins outwardly, means for moving the plunger and the rod and eifective to first move the plunger to place the die in the end of a can body then move the rod to effect a swinging of the side steel members into can body end opposing position and then move the plunger additionally to cause the die and can body end opposing side steel members to move in unison in the direction of the length of the can body'to complete the flanging thereof, and tappets carried by the side steels and engaged by said pins and adjustable to assure that said side steel members will always closely approximate but not clamp can body end portions when opposing the same. Y

14. In a machine for flanging square or oblong can bodies having rounded corners, a rotary shaft, two rotors spaced longitudinally on and rotatable with said shaft, a turret plate secured upon each rotor said plates being peripherally pocketed and spaced to receive and hold open ends of can bodies to be flanged, each said rotor having a plurality of sleeve bearings spaced equidistantly thereabout and aligned with the turret plate pockets, a. plunger reciprocably mounted in each bearing, a die carried by each plunger to be alter- I nately forced into and withdrawn from anend of a pocket held can body, side steel members reciprocable with each die and movable inwardly and outwardly relative thereto for alternately closely opposing a can body end at each of its four sides intermediately of its rounded corners during flanging of the can body endiand then clearing the formed flange, and means including a single cam associated with each rotor and stationarily surrounding said shaft for reciprocating said plungers and for 'imparting said alternate inward and outward movements to said side steel members.

15; In a machine for ilanging square or oblong cam bodies having rounded corners, a rotary shaft, two rotors spaced longitudinally on and rotatable with said shaft one at least of said rotors being spline-mounted for longitudinal ad- J'ustment on the shaft, a turret plate secured upon each rotor said plates being peripherally pocketlbearing, a die carried by each plunger to be a1- ternately forced into and withdrawn from an end of a pocket held can body, side steel members reciproeable with each die and movable inwardly and outwardly relative thereto for alternately closely opposing a can body end at each of its four sides intermediately of its rounded corners during anging of the can body end and then clearing the formed flange, means including a single cam associated with each rotor'and stationarily surrounding said shaft for reciprocating said plungers and for imparting said alternate inward and outward movements to said side steel members, and means for moving said splinemounted rotor the turret plate secured thereto and the associated cam longitudinally of the shaft to vary the spacing of said plates without disrupting the relation of the plates and rotors thereby to adapt the machine for fianging can bodies o f various lengths.

16. In a'machine for iianging square or oblong can bodies having rounded corners, a rotary shaft, two rotors spaced longitudinally on and f rotatable with said shaft one at least of said rotors being spline-mountedffor longitudinal adjustment on the shaft, a turret plate secured upon each rotor said plates being peripherally pocketed and spaced to receive and hold open ends of can bodies to be flanged, each said rotor having a plurality of sleeve bearings spaced equidistantly thereabout and aligned with the turret plate pockets, a plunger reciprocably mounted in each bearing, a die carried by each plunger to be alternately forced into and withdrawnfrom an end of a pocket held can body, side steel members reciprocable with each die and movable inwardly and outwardly relative thereto for a1- ternately closely opposing a can body end at each of its four sides intermediately of itsrounded corners during flanging of the can body end and then clearing the formed flange, means including a single cam associated with each rotor and stationarily surrounding said shaft for reciprocating said plungers and for imparting said a1- ternate inward and outward movementsto said side steel members, and means for moving said spline-mounted rotor the turret plate secured thereto and the associated-cam longitudinally of the shaft to vary the spacing of said plates without disrupting the relation `of the plates and rotors said plates being sectional and selectively replaceable, and each said die and side steel member set being .selectively replaceable on its carrying plunger, thereby to adapt the machine for plate pockets, a plunger reciprocably mounted in each bearing, a die carried by each plunger to be alternately forced into and Withdrawn from an end of a pocket held can body, side steel members reoiprocable with'each die and swingably mounted thereon for movement inwardly and outwardly relative thereto for alternately closely opposing a can body end intermediately of its rounded corners during hanging of the can body end and then clearing the formed flange, means including a rod reciprocably mounted on the respective plunger for imparting said alternate inward and outward movement to the respective side steel sets, and a single cam associated with each rotor and stationarily surrounding said shaft for reciprocating said plungers and said rods.

18. In a machine for fianging square or oblong can bodies having rounded corners, a rotary shaft, two rotors spaced longitudinally on and rotatable with said shaft, a turret plate secured upon each rotor said plates being peripherally pocketed and spaced to receive and hold open ends of can bodies to be flanged, each said rotor having a plurality of sleeve bearings spaced equidistantly thereabout and aligned with the turret plate pockets, a plunger reciprocably mounted in each bearing, a die carried by each plunger to be alternately forced into and withdrawn from an end of a pocket held can body, side steel members reciprocable with each die and movable inwardly and outwardly relative thereto for alternately closely opposing a can body end intermediately of its rounded corners during flanging of the can body end and then clearing the formed ange, said turret plates having longitudinal extensions. deflning pocket corners and effective for `supporting the can body corners intermediately of the side steel members during flanging operations and for stripping the flanged can bodies from the dies as they are withdrawn, means for reciprocating said plungers, and means for imparting said inward and outward movements to said side steel members. v

19. In a machine of the character described. a continuously rotated pocketed can body holding turret, anging means engageable with can body ends moving about with said holding turret for flanging said can bodies, a continuously rotating feed in turret for feeding can bodies one by one into the holding turret pockets, a can body supply chute for delivering can bodies by gravity to said feed in turret, means for rotating said turrets in timed relation, and means .actuated by rotation of said feed in turret for releasing can bodies one by one from s aid chute.

20. In a machine of `the characterdescribed, a continuously rotated pocketed can body holding turret, anging means engageable with can body ends moving about with said holding turret for flangng said can bodies, a continuously rotating feed in turret for feeding can bodies one by one into the holding turret pockets and having a plurality of equidistantly spaced feed in fingers corresponding in number with the number of the pockets, a can body supply chute for delivering can bodies by gravity to said feed in turret, means for rotating said turrets in timed relation, a detent normally engaged in the lowermost can body in the chute for holding said can bodies against gravity delivery, a rotary cam movable with the feed in turret and having an actuator t hump for each turret finger, and means actuated by each said hump to momentarily withdraw said detent and permit a single can body to fall before each passing turret finger.

' PAULAE. PEARSON.

RALPH M. MERO. 

